We Do As We Please

It should be noted upfront that We Do as We Please is a repacking of Cowboy Nation's first, self-titled album, re-released and retitled for a new label, Real West. This is a good thing, because regardless of the name, it's a keeper. There's a somber, hypnotic quality about Cowboy Nation's approach to Western music and mythology. Each time the listener places We Do as We Please in the disc player, the intertwining voices of Tony and Chip Kinman create an enigmatic mix that pulls him or her deeper into the music. Their stripped-down arrangements and stylized synthesis draw from the past while adding newfangled nuances, dragging the cowboy song — kicking and whooping — into the 21st century. "Rifle, Pony, and Me" begins simply, with no more than a guitar and bass to support Tony Kinman's deep vocal. When his brother adds his voice to the chorus the song achieves a beautiful austerity. A list of worthy songs — "Remember the Alamo," "Big Train," and "Old Paint" — is really arbitrary, because there aren't any bad cuts. Purists may question whether the Kinman brothers have succeeded at preserving the cowboy song; they sure don't sound like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, or even Marty Robbins. But so what? Like the Western hero of old, they've found themselves a piece of land and staked their claim. So curious listeners should just say no to nitpicking and go out and get a copy. We Do as We Please is a contemporary country classic. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., Rovi